Uganda says it will start to vaccinate some of its health workers against Ebola on Monday, amid fears that the viral haemorrhagic fever could spread from Democratic Republic of Congo which is battling an outbreak.

The East African country has suffered regular outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg over the years, both high-fatality viral haemorrhagic fevers.

Parts of Uganda’s western border are about 100 km from sites of an Ebola outbreak taking place in Congo.

Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said authorities would administer about 2,100 vaccinations covering so called frontline health personnel working in districts near the border.